EWRCBWEF
by MrPresident
Summary: A basic will they/won't they Carby. And yes I know that is very common but this one is different. It has a original take on the cliche. That is if you put 'anything but' before original. But the rest is completely true. *COMPLETED*
1. The Start Of The Beginning Of The Beginn...

The Effects Of Watching A Romantic Comedy Before Writing A ER FanFiction (or EWRCBWEF)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing of any value whatsoever. That includes any of the ER characters that I about to use and the computer that I am writing this on.  
  
Author's Views on World Events: I have none.  
  
Author's Thoughts About The Meaning Of Life: There is none.  
  
Author's Views On Liverpool This Season: I think if we have a bit of luck we may be able to push Arsenal and that other team for the title.  
  
Author's Favourite Sleeping Position: Face down.  
  
Author's Use Of Toilet Humour: Excessive.  
  
Author's Most Used Letter: E.  
  
Author's Apology For Poor Spelling, Grammar And Inability To Accurately Write Women: I'm sorry.  
  
Setting: This is set after the break-up of Abby and Luka and Carter and Susan.  
  
Author's Annoying Repetition Of The Same Joke: See above.  
  
  
  
Chapter One - The Start Of The Beginning Of The Beginning.  
  
It had been a typically hard day's work for Abby. She was glad that it was finally over. Now she could go home and.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a figure running into the lounge and slamming the door shut.  
  
"Hi, Carter."  
  
He turned round and saw that it was Abby, "Oh hi."  
  
He took a look out of the window in the door and relaxed slightly.  
  
"Hiding from something?"  
  
"Someone."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Susan."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She's mad at me."  
  
"Mad at you? I couldn't imagine that."  
  
"There was a misunderstanding."  
  
"Uh-huh." Abby tried her best to sound not in the least bit interested.  
  
Carter took a final look out of the window and seeming happy with what he saw. He turned his full attention to Abby.  
  
"Long day?"  
  
It took a moment for Abby to realise what had prompted that question. She must have looked really bad. She guessed her hair was over all the place and she didn't even want to think about the rest of her. "What!" She hoped that if she acted angry he might leave the subject alone.  
  
"Nothing." Carter had been with enough women to know what her reply actually meant.  
  
There was a silence between the two as Abby tried to fix her hair in a way that she hoped he wouldn't know. And Carter tried not to notice this. Finally Abby gave up, "What misunderstanding?"  
  
"Oh yeah. It was about a patient I gave her. She thought I had said he had a rash on his shoulder."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Ass."  
  
"Ass? You gave her a patient that had a rash on his ass?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you call that a misunderstanding."  
  
"Yes. She misunderstood me."  
  
"How can you misunderstand ass for shoulder."  
  
"Because the way I said it must have sounded like shoulder."  
  
"How did you say it?"  
  
"Shoulder."  
  
"I can see how she misunderstood that for shoulder."  
  
"Anyway she is now mad at me."  
  
"I wonder why."  
  
"She should thank me. It is not everyday you get to see a rash of that magnitude on that part of the body. It was a great opportunity to further her medical knowledge and therefore better prepare her for future patient care."  
  
"In that case why didn't you take it?"  
  
"Are you kidding? The guy had a rash on his ass."  
  
They both laughed.  
  
"So you off now?" Carter had noticed that Abby was preparing to leave.  
  
"Yep. What about you?"  
  
"Half an hour. That is unless Susan catches me." He hesitated for a moment then asked, "You want to get something to eat?"  
  
She also hesitated, "Errr Sure."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Neither of them moved but just stared at each other. Finally Abby broke the silence, "I'll be at Doc Magoo's."  
  
"Sure. But if I'm not there is half an hour, wait longer." 


	2. Doc Magoo’s – Almost Edible Food At Affo...

Chapter Two - Doc Magoo's - Almost Edible Food At Affordable Prices  
  
Abby had been waiting patiently for half an hour until Carter showed up. In that time she had had three cups of coffee and a piece of pie. When she had accepted his offer she had forgotten exactly how hard her day had been. She had spent the whole time cursing herself for not being in the comfort of her own home.  
  
He had managed to avoid Susan successfully and had left exactly as his shift ended. He entered Doc Magoo's and instinctively walked towards Abby's table without even looking where she was. "Hey, you ready to go?"  
  
"Go?"  
  
"Dinner? Remember?"  
  
"I thought you meant getting something to eat here."  
  
"Here? I try not to eat here if I can help it." A waitress walked by just as he said this. "Not that there is anything wrong with this place."  
  
"If not here then where?"  
  
"I booked us a table Le Palais Du Jardin."  
  
"That sounds posh."  
  
"I suppose you could call it that."  
  
"How did you get a booking at such short notice."  
  
"I know a few people." Abby had forgotten to whom she was talking too.  
  
"You know a few people?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Like who?"  
  
"Like the owner of the restaurant."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"The only problem is that I have to invite him to the next Carter 'social'."  
  
"So, what's the problem?"  
  
"The only way Gamma will allow me to invite someone to one of those events is if I go myself."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Oh indeed."  
  
Abby was suddenly struck by something, "I can't go dressed like this."  
  
"Sure you can."  
  
"Is there a dress code for this place?"  
  
"Kind of."  
  
"What do you mean kind of?"  
  
"It is kind of formal."  
  
"Formal!"  
  
"In a manner of speaking."  
  
"I have to change."  
  
"Okay how about if we stop off at your place before we go."  
  
"But what about you?"  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"Don't you have to change too?"  
  
"I suppose. I wouldn't want to show you up."  
  
"Then don't we have to go to your place as well?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I have something to wear in my car."  
  
"You what?"  
  
"I always carry some formal clothes in my car."  
  
"What are you? Superman?"  
  
"Just in case of an emergency."  
  
"What? An emergency formal ball?"  
  
"Laugh all you want but who doesn't have to go home an change."  
  
"An emergency wedding?"  
  
"Okay. We better get moving."  
  
"What about an emergency black tie dinner."  
  
"I'll get the car." 


	3. Changing Clothes Not Rooms.

Chapter 3 - Changing Clothes Not Rooms  
  
They had spent most of the journey to Abby's apartment in silence. You know the kind of silence that usually descends in a car. However Abby broke this silence when she turned to Carter and asked, "Where are you going to get changed?"  
  
"Your place." Carter said this as a matter of fact but a moment later he questioned it himself, "Why? Where did you think I was going to change?"  
  
"I don't know. I didn't think about it until just now."  
  
"Well, can I change in your place?"  
  
Abby wanted to say no but realised that he didn't have anywhere else to change. "Sure."  
  
Carter pulled up next to her apartment and they both got out of the car. As Abby opened the door the sound of two of her neighbours arguing at the top of their lungs greeted them. Neither of them said anything about it.  
  
Abby unlocked her door went inside and gestured Carter to follow. "Do you want anything to drink?"  
  
"No I'm fine." Carter quickly scanned her apartment. "Where should I.?"  
  
Abby pointed to a side room, "You can change in there."  
  
She watched him until he was out of sight then she went into her bedroom and opened her wardrobe. Looking over her clothes she pulled out three outfits that could be considered formal. Then she walked over to the mirror and held up each outfit in turn against her body in the way that only women seem to do.  
  
Carter had quickly changed into his formal clothes. He exited the side room carrying his discarded clothes and starting to walk round room looking at the object contained within it. He glanced over to where Abby was changing but this time her door was mostly closed and he couldn't see into it.  
  
After much deliberation Abby had decided which outfit to wear. It was the dress that she had bought after the museum 'non-date' with Carter.  
  
After a while Carter realised that Abby wasn't coming out any time soon so he decided to sit down. It had been a long shift for him and his feet were a testimony to this. Then she walked into the room and he just stared. He was completely speechless at the sight in front of him. Abby noticed his reaction and misunderstood it, "Is it that bad?"  
  
"No. It's, you're beautiful."  
  
She blushed at his remark, "Come on. We better hurry if we are going to make our table."  
  
Carter continued to stare, "Yeah." Then he snapped back to reality. "Yeah. We should be going."  
  
They collected their stuff and left the apartment. As she locked her door Carter went outside to open the car and put him clothes inside. When she came outside Carter was holding the passenger door of the car open, "Your carriage awaits my lady." He did a half bow.  
  
Abby stepped into the car, "You're not going to talk like that the whole evening are you?" 


	4. The Dinner Date In All But Name

Chapter Four - The Dinner Date In All But Name  
  
When Abby saw the restaurant she instantly knew why Carter knew the owner. It was the biggest and most posh restaurant she had ever seen. "You know the owner of this place?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I met him at a Carter family function. He is actually quite a funny guy. You would probably like him."  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Obviously he is not as funny as me." Abby let out a little laugh. "But then who is?"  
  
"How about everyone else in the entire world."  
  
"That's a lot of people."  
  
"I know."  
  
Carter stopped the car in front of the restaurant and gave the keys to the valet. He turns to Abby, "After you my lady."  
  
"I thought I told you not to talk like that."  
  
"Sorry it must be a relax."  
  
"You mean you talk like that to all women."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm surprised you get any dates."  
  
"I am rich remember."  
  
"So you keep reminding me."  
  
They were shown to a table that was almost exactly in the middle of the room. Then a waiter handed them the menus.  
  
"So they don't serve hamburgers?" Abby said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah they do." Carter pointed to something on her menu.  
  
"That means hamburger? I thought that was some sort of soup."  
  
"Maybe I should order for you."  
  
"Maybe you should."  
  
As Carter gave his orders to the waiter Abby continued to look in puzzlement at the menu.  
  
"So how was your day?"  
  
"Long."  
  
"That good?"  
  
"It was one of those days that you know is going to be bad as soon as you wake up."  
  
Carter nodded.  
  
"I got puked on, twice. Had to bathe a smelly homeless guy. And I mean really smelly. Then I.wait you don't want to hear this."  
  
"Actually I do." Abby looked at him in surprise. "I thought I had a bad day but hearing that it puts it in perspective."  
  
"I'm glad my suffering helped you."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
Their food arrived. Carter picked up a fork and started to eat his. But Abby just stared at hers. "Something wrong?"  
  
"Is this it?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"It just doesn't seem like a lot."  
  
Carter stopped eating and smiled, "It's not the size that matters. It's what you do with it"  
  
"How many times have you been told that?"  
  
"Probably the same amount as you."  
  
They both smiled.  
  
"So what am I eating?"  
  
Carter looked at her plate, "Looks like frog."  
  
"Frog?!?" Abby dropped her fork as she said this.  
  
"I'm only joking. I don't know what it is."  
  
"That was not funny."  
  
'I thought it was."  
  
"Well I didn't."  
  
"Your expression alone." He stopped mid-sentence when he looked up and saw Abby's face. "was not funny in the least."  
  
There was a period of silence between the two as they both ate. Carter was finished a lot quicker than Abby as she inspected every piece of food before she put it in her mouth.  
  
Carter waited patiently until she was finished and asked, "Do you want anything else?"  
  
"Nah. I probably should be getting home."  
  
"Early shift?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay." Carter told the waiter to bring the cheque over. "So how much are you going to tip?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yeah I figured that you would be paying your half."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That thought that is what women do nowadays."  
  
"Not this one."  
  
"What about equal rights and all that?"  
  
"When I go to dinner with one of the richest men in Chicago I expect him to pay the bill."  
  
"Okay fine but don't expect me to open any doors for you."  
  
"And I won't open any for you either."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Carter paid the bill and they left the restaurant. Outside he handed the valet his ticket and they waited for him to return with the car. It was quite cold outside and Abby could feel it. "You want my jacket?"  
  
"No. I'm fine."  
  
Carter took off his jacket and put it around her. "Here."  
  
"Thanks." 


	5. Abbyssinia

Chapter Five - Abbyssinia  
  
Carter pulled out the car in front of Abby's apartment in almost the exact same spot, as had a few hours before. He turned off the engine and the two of them sat there in silence.  
  
"That was a, err, nice evening." Said Abby.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"We should do it again some time."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
Again silence.  
  
"Do you want me to walk you to your apartment?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
They got out of the car and went up the stairs to Abby's apartment.  
  
Abby saw Carter take a look around. "Not the same as the mansion."  
  
"No. But it does have a certain charm."  
  
"The sorts of charm you only get it rubbish, run-down, cheap apartment buildings?"  
  
"Yeah. That kind of charm."  
  
They arrived at Abby's front door. She fumbled around in her purse for the key. Finally she found it and unlocked her door.  
  
The two of them shared a look. "Do you want to come inside for some coffee?"  
  
"I probably shouldn't. You having an early shift an all."  
  
'Yeah."  
  
"Well. Good night." He turned and walked away.  
  
Abby watched him until he was out of sight and said in a low voice, "Good night to you too." Then she entered her apartment.  
  
Outside Carter just sat for a moment inside his car. Then he turned on the engine and drove off. 


	6. The Carter After The Evening Before

Chapter Six - The Carter After The Evening Before  
  
The alarm woke him with a jolt as usual. It took him a few seconds to work out what was making the noise and a few more to bring him fist down to stop it. Why do they make alarms with such an annoying sound? More importantly, why did he buy an alarm with such an annoying sound? These are the same questions that go through his mind whenever he is woken up by that damn alarm. Every time he vows to buy a new alarm clock but every time he forgets to do so. It must be because of that part of the brain that likes pain. Some people get whipped. Other people walk on hot coals. He uses an annoying alarm clock.  
  
He was quickly into his morning routine. Everyone has one. It is part of the waking up process. When it is complete you can officially recognise that your day his started. It is a sort of buffer zone. Most people can't handle waking up and starting their day at the same time. So they create a morning routine. After Carter had completed his he was ready to go to work.  
  
He pulled up his Jeep in the usual parking space and started the familiar walk to the ER. If it was needed he could have probably done this blindfolded. Not that he could think of a situation in which he would need to do it blindfolded. Maybe if he were taken hostage but surely they would make him go all the way unaided.  
  
He entered the lounge and saw a white coat poking out from a locker. "Hi, Deb."  
  
"Oh. Hi John."  
  
"Just starting?"  
  
"Yep. Nine till Six. How about you?"  
  
"Nine till Ten."  
  
"Thirteen hour shift? Some would call that unlucky."  
  
"Some might. But hopefully not a qualified doctor."  
  
"Don't you believe in superstition?"  
  
"Superstitions are just initial explanations that have stayed on too long."  
  
"That was a little high-brow."  
  
"I'm a little high-brow."  
  
Jing-Mei was about to reponse when Weaver opens the door, in her own violent manner, and shouted, "Dr Carter, Dr Chen we aren't paying you two to stand around and talk!"  
  
With that Weaver shut the door and Jing-Mei said in a low voice, "I doubt they pay her to shout at us either."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if they did." Came the reply.  
  
*****  
  
Carter went out of the lounge and over to the admin desk. Weaver was there to meet him, holding a chart in her outstretched hand.  
  
"Ahh. Excellent. Suture a testicle."  
  
"Something wrong Dr Carter?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
Carter heads off to find the patient that he has just be given.  
  
"Hello" He looks at the chart. ", Mr Eadie. It says here you have a cut that needs suturing on your testicle."  
  
"Yeah that's correct."  
  
"Would you like to tell me how you did it?"  
  
"Let's just say that it involved my cat, late-night television and a hell of a lot of alcohol. And leave it at that."  
  
"I think I can do that."  
  
Carter exams the area and begins to suture it.  
  
"So is this a pretty unusual injury?"  
  
"Not as unusual as you might think."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. It is amazing what people do when they are bored."  
  
It was then that Carter was interrupted by Abby.  
  
"Hey Carter can I talk to you?"  
  
"Just a minute." He finished up and then said to the guy, "Okay done. You need a Tetanus jab then you can go."  
  
He left the room and said, "Okay what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"I've been thinking. It's about last night."  
  
"You didn't like it?"  
  
"No. I did like it."  
  
"And that's a bad thing."  
  
"Kind of."  
  
"Okay I think I missed something. You had a good time last night and that's a problem for you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You think I'm crazy, don't you?"  
  
"Yes but I thought that before."  
  
Abby was going to response but someone shouted, "Carter! I need some help over here!"  
  
Carter ran off in the direction of the shout. It was Chen and she was with a trauma victim. "Hey Frank what's open?"  
  
"Trauma One."  
  
They spent the next 45 minutes trying, in vain, to resuscitate the patient.  
  
"You think we should call it" Chen said to Carter.  
  
"How long has she been down?"  
  
An anonymous nurse replied, "45 minutes."  
  
Carter nodded to Chen who said, "Time of death 10:04."  
  
They took off their gloves and throw them on the floor. Carter looked at Chen who was looking down at the patient. "There was nothing we could do."  
  
"Yeah I know."  
  
They shared a silence then they both left the room.  
  
*****  
  
Carter spent the rest of his shift treating the usual array of ailments that frequent the ER. When his shift finally ended Carter couldn't wait to leave. He went into the lounge and found Susan getting ready to start her shift. "You just starting?"  
  
She nodded, "You off?"  
  
He nodded. There was silence between the two until Susan said, "You look tired."  
  
"I am tired."  
  
"Didn't get much sleep last night." It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
"No. There was a, thing."  
  
"A thing?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Is this the dinner date you went on with Abby?"  
  
Carter was shocked, "How did you know that?"  
  
"I have my sources."  
  
There was a silence as Carter tried to work out how Susan could know.  
  
"How did it go?"  
  
"It went, well."  
  
"How did it end?"  
  
"You mean you don't know already?"  
  
"I could guess if you like."  
  
"Please don't. "  
  
"Then tell me."  
  
"Fine. Nothing happened."  
  
"Nothing?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Susan seemed kind of disappointed.  
  
"Now if you don't have any more questions for me I going to go home and sleep."  
  
And with that Carter left the ER. On his way home he couldn't help but ask himself questions. How did they know what happened last night? Why did they think we weren't avoiding each other? Why was Susan so interested? But the questions that mostly occupied his mind were the same ones that he had been thinking about all day. What did Abby mean by saying last evening was a bad thing? Was this her way of saying back off? Did she was want to be 'friends'? And most importantly, what should he do? 


	7. The Abby After The Evening Before

Chapter 7 - The Abby After The Evening Before  
  
Abby was arriving at work and the sun wasn't even up. There is something fundamentally wrong about that. She felt very tired, a lot more tired than usual. She really shouldn't have gone out with Carter last night. And that is just due to her early morning shift. They shouldn't be going out pretending to be a couple when they aren't. It just builds up hope on both sides. They should just accept that maybe they just aren't meant to be. As she was thinking this she decided that she should tell him that last night was a mistake. Maybe he would understand and accept what she had accepted. Or had she accepted? Man, she really didn't need an early shift today.  
  
Her shift started like any other morning shift. There was in fact very little to do but somehow Abby found a way to be busy. She needed to be busy. She needed something to take her mind off her thoughts. She needed to concentrate on work. And that meant being busy.  
  
"Abby I need you over here." Said Luka as he examined a patient.  
  
She walked over there and stood by with a chart ready to take down the tests he ordered.  
  
After the list of tests and after he finished his examination he looked at her, "You look tired."  
  
She smiled. Why did everyone notice that about her, "Yeah?"  
  
"Late night?"  
  
She didn't really want to tell him about her evening with Carter, "Yes."  
  
He seemed to understand this, "Okay."  
  
***  
  
She spent the next few hours trying to be busy and trying not to look at the clock. She knew that Carter started at nine but she couldn't decide whether to talk to him or avoid him.  
  
Then the small hand moved so that it pointed straight at the number nine. She instantly walked over to the entrance so that she could see Carter arrive. She saw him enter but she decided against talking to him. She just pretended to treat a patient so that he wouldn't see her. He entered the lounge and she stood still in a moment of complete indecisiveness.  
  
Weaver bought her out of this, "Have you seen Dr Carter?"  
  
Before she could think about it she answered, "Yeah he's in the lounge."  
  
She watched as Weaver made her way across to the lounge. However before she entered Abby was called away.  
  
It was Luka and he wanted to talk, "Hey Abby about earlier. I didn't mean to pry into your personal life. I was just worried about you."  
  
"I went out on a kind of date, that's all."  
  
She looked at Luka for any reaction. He kept the same expression, "Oh."  
  
"Nothing happened." For some reason she thought he should know that.  
  
"Who?"  
  
Abby remained silence.  
  
"Who was it with?"  
  
Abby still remained silence.  
  
Luka knew why she didn't want to tell him, "Carter?"  
  
Abby just nodded.  
  
Now it was Luka's turn not to say anything.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Abby started to walk away but stopped, "Can you not tell anyone about this? The last thing I need right now is to have people gossiping about me."  
  
"Okay. I won't."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Abby took one last look at Luka's face as if she could tell by this if he was okay then walked away.  
  
  
  
It took a little while longer but Abby finally decided that she needed to talk to Carter. She went over to admin and looked at the chart to see which patient he was treating then made her way over to that room. She stood outside for a minute just watching him work. Then she opened the door and said, "Hey Carter can I talk to you?"  
  
He finished up with the patient then came out, "Okay what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"I've been thinking. It's about last night."  
  
"You didn't like it?"  
  
"No. I did like it."  
  
"And that's a bad thing."  
  
"Kind of."  
  
"Okay I think I missed something. You had a good time last night and that's a problem for you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"You think I'm crazy, don't you?"  
  
"Yes but I thought that before."  
  
She was about to response but someone called Carter away.  
  
The conservation with Carter had not exactly gone the way she planned it. She didn't get to explain to him why last night was a problem for her. She didn't get to say a lot of things she wanted to. However she did speak to him. She felt a bit better about that, a tiny bit better.  
  
Abby had gone looking for Carter but every time she was needed somewhere else. Eventually she gave up and went outside to take her break and have a smoke. It was there that she met Susan. "Hi Abby, you on a break?"  
  
"Yeah. Are you just starting?"  
  
"No I'm not on for a couple of hours."  
  
"What you doing here then?"  
  
"Part of my admin duties."  
  
There was a silence between the two as they struggled to find something to talk about. Finally Susan said, "You look tired."  
  
"I know. People keep telling me."  
  
"Late night?"  
  
"Yes. I had a sort of date last night."  
  
"Oh. Anyone I know."  
  
Abby nodded.  
  
"Carter?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So it finally happened."  
  
"Not really."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It was like the other non-date we had."  
  
"What other non-date?"  
  
"He took me to a museum benefit thing."  
  
"So where did he take you?"  
  
"A posh French restaurant."  
  
"He never took me to a place like that." Susan said with a little jealously. "It sounds like a date to me."  
  
Abby thought about it. I suppose it did sound like a date.  
  
"So how did it end?"  
  
Abby thinking about answering that when she was called to come inside. "I've got to go."  
  
"You can't leave with hanging like this."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
***  
  
Abby spent the rest of the shift avoiding Carter. She had too much on her mind for her to face him now. She needed a little time to figure out what she wanted.  
  
Finally her shift was over and she could go. On her way home she kept asking herself loads of questions. Did she want to be with Carter? Did he want to be with her? Did Carter know what she had meant? She should call him? And most importantly, what should she do? 


	8. Screw You Guys I'm Going Home!

**Chapter Eight – Screw You Guys I'm Going Home!**

****

Author's note: The author (that's me) would like to apologise to the readers (that's you) for not updating this story for a long time (that's a very long time). Sorry. Okay now we have got that unpleasant business out of the way I think it is about time we started the chapter…Actually it isn't time I start the chapter…okay now it is…

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Carter stood just outside the mansion staring into space. He was thinking, thinking about Abby. He didn't know what he would do when he next saw her, should he talk to her? Should be ignore her? Should he ask why the dinner had been a bad thing? What should he do? He searched the landscape in front of him in a vain attempt to find some answers. The problem with thinking about your problems is that usually instead of finding solutions you become more confused that you were before. You think up new problems, new areas of confusion and new causes to worry. Thinking, regardless of what people say, can be a dangerous business. It was while Carter was thinking about this that in the distance he heard the phone ring. He was about to go inside and get it when he realised that they have servants and he didn't need too, also it would likely be for Gamma. So he kept staring and thinking, thinking and staring. It was because of this that when the butler walked up to him he got quite a shock. "It's for you, sir." The butler handed him the phone.

"Thanks." Carter waited for the butler to leave and then lifted the phone to his head, "Hello?"

"Hi." It was Abby.

"Hi Abby." Said Carter trying to gain his composure. "What do you want?"

She hesitated and he could hear her heavy breathing, "Um…could we meet?"

"Sure." Carter sounded a lot more confident than he felt, "Where?"

She told him of a little diner not too far from the mansion and in no time whatsoever he was inside of it ordering a cup of coffee and some pie. He liked pie. Who doesn't? Anyway he had gotten there first and was waiting for Abby to arrive. Every time the door opened he could quickly look up to be disappointed by the sight of some middle-aged balding man in a fashion designer's nightmare. Then he would look back down at the rapidly disappearing pie and repeat. After about ten minutes of this Abby finally appeared. She looked beautiful, beautiful in the non-conventional sense of the word. The kind of beauty that only someone in love is able to see, the real meaning of the beauty is in the eye of the beholder thing. He stared at her for just a moment before motioning to her. She saw him and walked over and sat down next to him. The waitress took an order for coffee and left the two of them alone. Neither said anything. Carter offered Abby some of his pie but she shook her head and he kept of slowly taking bites from it. Finally the waitress returned with Abby's coffee and this prompted her to speak, "Thanks for coming." She said before taking a sip of her coffee. 

"It's no problem." Lied Carter. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I think you know what?"

"The Bulls chances for this season?" He joked.

She looked up from her cup of coffee and straight into Carter's eyes and said, "We have a problem."

"No we don't." Carter knew what was coming, "We're fine." 

"We're not fine." 

"Yeah I know."

"Something is…" She paused looking for the right word.

"Happening?" Offered Carter.

"Happening. I think we need to deal with it."

"So do I."

Both of them fell silence.

Abby finally spoke up and asked in a nervous voice, "Do you…" but she didn't finish the question 

Carter knew what she was asking, "Yeah." He replied. Then asked in an equally nervous voice,  "You?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They both didn't say anything but just stared into each other's eyes. Finally Carter broke the moment and asked, "So what now?" 

"Now we eat pie." Abby replied taking his pie from him.

"Hey!" He protested with a smile.

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**_Author's note: Finished._**


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